Mechanism for supplying fastenings



Jan. 7, 1941- H. s. ELLIOTT mm.

' MECHANISM FOR SUPPLYING FASTENINGS Filed March 15, 1940 2 ShEG'tS-SIIGGt 1 WWW a, IBM:

Jan. 7, 1941. E ELLIOTT ETAL 2,227,576

MECHANISM FOR SUPPLYING FASTENINGS Filed March 15, 1940 I 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 r a direction perpendicular to the slot.

Patented Jan. 7, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MECHANISM FOR SUI-FLYING FASTENINGS Application March 15, 1940, Serial No. 324,228 In Great Britain March 29, 1939 17 Claims.

This invention relates to mechanisms for supplying fastenings, and more particularly to mechanisms in which the fastenings move downwardly along one or more inclined raceways from which they are separated and delivered intermittently. The invention is herein illustrated as applied to mechanism of the same general type as disclosed in United States Letters Patent No. 1,002,422, granted on September 5, 1911, on an application of R. F. McFeely for supplying tacks: to the tackdriving instrumentalities of machines used, for example, in the manufacture of shoes for shaping uppers over lasts and fastening them. It is to be understood, however, that the invention is not limited to tack-supplying mechanisms, and that while it is herein illustrated by reference to mechanism including a plurality of raceways it is not limited as to the number of the raceways.

Mechanism of the character disclosed in the above-mentioned Letters Patent includes a tack separator movable widthwise of the raceways in a straight path perpendicular to the raceways to separate and deliver the endmost tacks each time the separator moves in one direction. The separator is provided adjacent to each raceway with a shoulder which by engagement with the shank of the endmost tack intially holds the row of tacks from moving down the raceway, and is further provided at one end of this shoulder with a slot arranged in oblique relation to the raceway and to the direction of movement of the separator to receive the endmost tack and force it forwardly off the raceway into delivery position in response to the movement of the separator. Serving as one wall of this slot is a pointed tackseparating finger arranged to enter the space between the shank of the endmost tack and the shank of the next tack approximately at the time when the endmost tack enters the slot. By reason of the oblique relation of the slot to the raceway the point of the tack-separating finger is spaced lengthwise of the raceway from the above-mentioned shoulder a distance somewhat greater than the width of the slot measured in The point of the finger is, therefore, spaced from the shoulder farther than is necessary for the separation of the endmost tack. In the use of tacks of the usual sizes, however, this involves no substantial difficulties in the operation of the mechanism, since there is ordinarily sufiicient space between the shank of the endmost tack and the shank of the next tack in each raceway properly to receive the separating finger. It is sometimes desired, however, in machines for shaping uppers separator are but little wider than the shanks of 5 the small tacks, that the end of a tack-separating finger will strike against the shank of the second tack in the raceway, and this may prevent the continued movement of the separator and may even cause damage to parts of the mechanism.

In view of the above and other considerations, an object of the present invention is to provide a construction such as to improve results in the use of comparatively small tacks. In the construction shown the separator, having adjacent to each raceway a shoulder for supporting the row of tacks by engagement with the shank of the endmost tack as above described, is provided at one end of the shoulder with a tack-receiving slot which, instead of extending in oblique relation to the raceway as heretofore, extends in substantially perpendicular relation to the raceway widthwise of the latter, so that the tackseparating finger, which forms one wall of the slot, is spaced lengthwise of the raceway from the shoulder a distance only equal to the width of the slot. If it be assumed that the slot is just wide enough to permit the shank of a tack of a given size to pass freely along it, it will be evident that the point of the finger is in the most appropriate position to pass between the shank of the endmost tack and the shank of the next tack without any substantial danger of striking the shank of the next tack. In order that the separator constructed in this manner may properly remove the end tack from each raceway, the construction shown is further such that as the separator moves widthwise of the raceway it has also a component of movement lengthwise thereof, the separator being connected to parallel links which by their swinging movements actually cause the separating fingers to move in curved paths widthwise and lengthwise of the several raceways. To afiord better insurance that the separated tacks will be finally delivered in the proper manner, the swinging of the parallel links is stopped prior to the completion of the movement of the separator, after which the separator receives a short further movement in a straight path while the links are stationary, the separator being yieldingly connected to the links for this purpose.

In accordance with a further feature of the invention the construction shown is such that notwithstanding the component of movement of the separator lengthwise of the raceways, the

rows of tacks remaining in the raceways are maintained substantially stationary, the shanks of the tacks next above the tacks in process of separation being engaged by surfaces on the separator which are properly curved for this purpose, thus avoiding any danger of objectionable displacement of the tacks.

The above and other features of the invention, including various novel details of construction and combinations of parts, will now be more particularly described with reference to the accompanying drawings and thereafter pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings,

Fig. l is a perspective front view of tack-supplying mechanism in which the invention is embodied;

Fig. 2 is substantially a plan View on an enlarged scale of a portion of the mechanism shown in Fig. l with parts removed to show structure underneath, the separator being shown in its initial position and the tacks being omitted;

Fig. 3 is a view in left-hand side elevation of the structure shown in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 2, but showing certain parts which are omitted from Fig. 2 and with parts broken away, this view illustrating with reference to tacks in one of the raceways the action or" the separator in separating a tack; and

Fig. 5 is a section on the line VV of Fig. 2.

Tack-supplying mechanism of the illustrated type comprises a casing I which serves as a housing for a cylindrical tack hopper secured on a horizontal forwardly and rearwardly extending shaft 3 to which oscillatory movements are imparted in suitable time relation to movements of other parts of a machine in which the mechanism is included. The movement of the shaft 3 and the tack hopper causes tacks within the hopper to be delivered to the upper ends of a plurality of downwardly inclined raceways 5, the term raceways being used herein with reference to grooved portions of the structure which support the rows of tacks by their heads and into the grooves of which the shanks of the tacks extend. It will be understood that the tacks thus supported gravitate downwardly along the raceways to the lower delivery ends of the raceways. In the vicinity of their delivery ends the upper edges of the raceways are stepped down somewhat to receive plates 1 (Figs. 1 and 4) which overlap them, these plates being provided with grooves 8 registering with the grooves of the raceways to receive the tacks and having at their lower ends enlarged openings IE! through which the heads of the tacks are permitted to drop. The plates 7 are spaced above the portions of the raceways below them to provide room for a tack separator hereinafter described, and they are fastened on the top of an end block 9, shown in Figs. 1 and 4 but omitted from Fig. 2, which is held in position by spring-pressed pins (not shown) extending into holes in the frame of the mechanism. The pins are provided with handles extending through slots in the block 9 and by which the pins may be retracted to permit removal of the block when desired.

Except at their lower end portions the raceways are provided with a fixed cover iii the lower face of which lies close enough to the raceways to prevent undesirable upward displacement of the tacks. Extending normally over the lower end portions of the raceways is a movable cover i5 (Fig. 1) which may be swung upwardly when desired, as disclosed in Letters Patent No. 2,204,- 689, granted on June 18, 1940, on an application of Ernest Moore.

At the delivery ends of the raceways is located a tack separator i6, hereinafter described, for separating the end tacks from the tacks next above them and delivering the separated tacks to tack-driving mechanisms. This tack separator is operated by a bar I! slidingly movable horizontally in directions perpendicular to the raceways, the bar being located below the raceways and being itself operated by the oscillatory movements of the shaft 3 as in prior tack-supplying mechanisms of the illustrated type. Positioned forwardly of the sliding bar H and of the delivery ends of the raceways, in the construction herein shown, are two upwardly extending pins or studs |9, one opposite each end portion of the bar, these pins being secured in the frame of the tack-supplying mechanism and extending in substantially perpendicular relation to the inclined plane of the raceways. Pivotally mounted on each of the pins I9 is a short link 2|, the two links being parallel to each other and extending rearwardly in an inclined plane parallel to the plane of the raceways. A thin bar 23 of the separator I6 extends transversely of the lower end portions of the raceways below the plates 7 and is pivotally connected at its opposite ends to the links 2|, as will now be described. At its right-hand end the bar 23 has secured to its lower face a member 25 provided with a slot 21. Slidingly mounted in this slot is a block 29 which is normally held at the righthand end of the slot (Fig. 2) by a spring 3| mounted on a stem 33 extending outwardly from the block through a hole in the member 25, the spring being confined between the right-hand end of this member and a nut 35 threaded on the end of the stem. An upstanding pin 31 carried by the rear-end portion of the right-hand link 2| extends upwardly into a hole bored in the block 29. It will thus be seen that the righthand end of the separator bar 23 is yieldingly connected to the link 2|, the purpose of which yielding connection will be hereinafter explained.

At its left-hand end the separator bar 23 carries a pin 39 which extends downwardly through an elongated slot 46 formed in a member 4| secured to the movable bar ll. The pin extends downwardly into a hole formed in a rearwardly extending arm 43 of an L-shaped member 45, the arm 43 being slidingly movable forwardly and rearwardly in a bore in the member 4|. The other arm 47 of the L-shaped member 45 extends toward the left from a block 49 which is slidingly movable in a slot 5| in the member 45. The block 49 is held normally at the righthand end of the slot fii by means of a spring 53 confined between the left-hand end of the block and a screw 55 threaded in the arm 41. A pin El extends upwardly from the rear end of the left-hand link 2| into the block 49. It will thus be seen that a yieldable connection is provided between the left-hand end of the separator bar 23 and the left-hand link 2|. Since the member 4| is secured to the bar ll it will be evident that when this bar is moved from left to right, as the parts are viewed in Fig. 2, by its operating mechanism, movement in the same general direction is imparted to the separator bar 23 through the pin 39. The bar 23, however, has a component of forward movement lengthwise of the raceways by reason of the swinging of the links 2|, while maintaining a-perpendicular relation to the raceways, the arm 43 sliding fore wardly in the bore in the member 4|.

On the upper face of the separator bar 23 are secured a plurality of separator plates 59, one for 5 each raceway, arranged to overlap the lower end portions of the raceways below the plates 1. The plates 59 are formed of comparatively thin metal and are, for the most part, of rectangular shape with their opposite side edges parallel to each other. Each plate 59 is provided with a rear edge or shoulder 60 arranged to engage the shank of the endmost tack in the raceway associated therewith and thus to support the row of tacks against downward movement along the raceway prior to the tack-separating movement of the separator. Each of the plates is also provided with a pointed tack-separating finger 61 extending toward the right from a rearward extension of the plate and arranged to enter the space between the shank of the endmost tack and the shank of the tack next above it when the plate is moved toward the right. A continuation of the edge 99 of each plate 59 serves as one side of a slot 63 bounded on the other side by the finger 6|, the slot being arranged to receive the shank of the end tack and terminating at its left-hand end in an enlarged circular opening 65 which receives the head of the tack and permits the tack to drop when this opening arrives in alinement with the corresponding opening ID in the overlying plate I and with an opening 66 in the underlying block 9, one of the openings 66 being clearly shown in Fig. 4. It will be observed that the several slots 63 extend in parallel relation to the length of the separator bar 23 and in perpendicular relation to the raceways. Accordingly, the width of each slot equals the distance that the pointed end of the finger 6| is positioned rearwardly of the edge or shoulder 90 which detere0 mines the initial position of the endmost tack in the raceway. If, as contemplated, therefore, the slot is of just the width necessary to permit the shank of a tack of a given size to pass freely along it, the pointed end of the finger 5| will be in the 45 most appropriate position to enter the space between the shank of the endmost tack and the shank of the tack next above it without any substantial danger that the finger will strike against the shank of the last-mentioned tack. It will be 50 observed that initially the links 2| (Fig. 2) extend rearwardly in such directions that the centers of the pins 31 and 51 are somewhat to the right of the centers of the corresponding pins l9, and the separator plates 59, therefore, have components 55 of forward movement lengthwise of the raceways as soon as they begin to move toward the right, these components of movement, however, being comparatively small initially and progressively increasing as the movement of the plates con- 60 tinues, the fingers 6| actually moving in curved paths. The fingers 6| enter the spaces between the shanks of the endmost tacks and the shanks of the tacks next in line at the time when they have greater components of movement Widthwise 65 of the raceways than lengthwise thereof and thereafter, while still moving widthwise of the raceways, receive greater components of forward movement to force the tacks off the raceways.

It is desirable that during the above-described tack-separating movements of the separator plates 59, after the fingers 6| have entered the spaces between the shanks of the endmost tacks and the shanks of the tacks next in line, the rows of tacks in the raceways be prevented from mov- 75 ing downwardly along the raceways, notwithstanding the components of forward movement which the separator plates receive, since otherwise the rows of tacks would be forced upwardly again along the raceway-s by the return movements of the plates with possible danger of objectionable displacement of some of the tacks. Accordingly, the plates 59 are provided with concave edges 61 which engage the shanks of the tacks next above the endmost tacks being separated and thereby support the rows of tacks, 10 these edges being curved in such manner that all points thereon pass across the corresponding raceways at substantially uniform distances from the delivery ends of the raceways. The edges 6! are, in fact, curved in arcs of a radius equal sub- 15 stantially to the lengths of the parallel links 2!.

It will thus be seen that as the movement of the separator continues after the ends of the fingers 6| have entered the spaces between the end tacks and the next tacks, the remainder of the tacks in 20 the raceways are maintained substantially stationary without any tendency to move downwardly along the raceways or to be thereafter forced upwardly along them.

In order to make sure that the enlarged open- 25 ings 65 at the ends of the slots 93 will arrive in the correct positions to permit the heads of the tacks to drop through them, provision is further afforded for imparting to the separator bar 23 and the plates 59 thereon a short final movement 3Q toward the right in a straight-line path perpendicular to the raceways at the end of the abovedescribed movement in a curved path. For this purpose the links 2! have on their right-hand edges stop faces 69 arranged to engage upwardly 35 extending abutments H formed on the frame of the mechanism near the end of the operative movement of the separator, at the time when the separator plates have been swung so far downwardly and toward the right that the tacks have almost entered the enlarged openings 65. Thereafter, during the remaining movement of the bar I! toward the right, movement in a straight path is imparted by this bar to the bar 23. It will be understood that such movement of the bar 23 is 5 permitted by reason of the fact that the member 25 may slide along the block 29 against the resistance of the spring 3| and the member may slide along the block 49 against the resistance of the spring 53. Just before this straight-line 50 movement of the separator bar 23 occurs the separator plates 59 arrive in such positions: that the lowermost tacks in the raceways in engagement with the curved edges 6! of the plates are about to pass onto edges 12 of the plates which are perpendicular to the raceways. During the final straight-line movement of the separator, therefore, the rows of tacks are held stationary in the raceways by these straight edges 72. It will be understood that in the return of the parts to 60 starting positions the separator receives a movement first in a straight path and then in a curved path, the rows of tacks being still held stationary in the raceways until the points of the fingers 6| pass to the left of the several rows, whereupon the tacks gravitate downwardly until the endmost tacks engage the edges 69 of the plates 59 preparatory to the separation of another set of tacks. The manner of operation of the mechanism will now be briefly summarized. Initially the 70 separator is positioned as shown in Fig. 2, and the rows of tacks in the raceways are supported against downward movements along the raceways by engagement of the edges 99 of the separator plates 59 with the shanks of the endmost tacks.

Since the fingers '61 are positioned rearwardly of these edges each at a distance equal to the width of the slot 63, which width is just sufiicient to permit the shank of a tack to pass freely along the slot, the fingers E! are in the most appropriate positions to enter the spaces between the shanks of the endmost tacks and the shanks of the next tacks when the separator receives its movement toward the right. As the separator is thus moved toward the right by the bar I! it has also a component of forward movement lengthwise of the raceways by reason of the swinging of the links H, such component of forward movement being comparatively small at the eginning of the movement of the separator and comparatively large near the end of its movement. The separator thus receives some slight forward movement before the fingers 6i enter the spaces between the endmost tacks and the next tacks, but it will be evident that in response to that movement of the separator the tacks will gravitate down the raceways, so that the relation between the fingers and the rows of tacks remains unchanged. After the fingers have entered the spaces between the endmost tacks and the next tacks, their continued movements in curved paths cause the end tacks to move forwardly toward the ends of the raceways while the shanks of the tacks are progressing along the slots 63 toward the enlarged openings 65 by reason of the movements of the plates 59 relatively to the tacks. At this time the rows of tacks in the raceways above the end tacks are held substantially stationary by the engagement of the curved edges 6'! of the plates 59 with the shanks of the tacks'next above the end tacks. Near the end of the operative movement of the separator the swinging movements of the links H are stopped by engagement of the abutments ll with the edges 69 of the links, and thereafter the remaining movement of the bar l'l toward the right causes the separator bar 23 and its plates 59 to receive a straight-line movement perpendicular to the raceways against the resistance of the springs 3! and 53 to make sure that the openings 65 in the plates 59 will arrive under the heads of the tacks, whereupon the tacks are delivered into the openings 66 in theblock 9. During this final straight-line movement of the separator the rows of tacks are still held substantially stationary by engagement of the straight edges 12 of the plates 59 with the shanks of the endmost tacks. After delivering the tacks the separator is moved reversely to its starting position, the rows of tacks being held stationary in the raceways by-the plates 59 until the points of the fingers 6| pass to the left of the tacks, whereupon the rows of tacks gravitate downwardly along the raceways until the endmost tacks engage the edges 60.

In addition to advantages hereinbefore discussed, it is to be further noted that if by any chance the end of any one of the fingers 8! should strike the shank of the second tack in the corresponding raceway, the fact that the finger has a component of movement lengthwise of the raceway renders it much less likely that the movement of the separator will be stopped by the tack than if its movement were in a direction perpendicular to the raceway, and also renders it unlikely that the finger, in clearing any tack which it may thus engage, will have any substantial tendency to force the row of tacks up the raceway.

Having described the invention, what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In mechanism for supplying fastenings, the combination with an inclined raceway for fastenings, of a separator for separating and delivering fastenings from the lower end of said raceway, said separator having a shoulder for engaging the endmost fastening in the raceway to hold the row of fastenings initially against movement down the raceway and having adjacent to said shoulder a slot extending in substantially perpendicular relation to the raceway widthwise of the latter to receive the endmost fastening in response to movement of the separator widthwise of the raceway, the separator having also a finger spaced lengthwise of the raceway from said shoulder a distance equal to the width of said slot and arranged to be moved into position between the endmost fastening and-the next fastening by the movement of the separator widthwise of the raceway. and means for imparting to the separator operative movement widthwise of the raceway with a component of movement also lengthwise of the raceway to withdraw the endmost fastening from the raceway,

2. In mechanism for supplying fastenings, the combination with an inclined raceway for fastenings, of a separator for separating and delivering fastenings from the lower end of said raceway, said separator having a shoulder for engaging the endmost fastening in the raceway to hold the row of fastenings initially against movement down the raceway and having adjacent to said shoulder a slot extending in substantially perpendicular relation to the raceway widthwise of the latter to receive the endmost fastening in response to movement of the separator widthwise of the raceway, the separator having also a finger spaced lengthwise of the raceway from said shoulder a distance equal to the width of said slot and arranged to be moved into position between the endmost fastening and the next fastening by the movement of the separator widthwise of the raceway, means for imparting to the separator operative movement widthwise of the raceway, and parallel links mounted for swinging movements and connected to the separator to cause it to have also a component of movement lengthwise of the raceway in the separation and delivery of each fastening.

3. In mechanism for supplying fastenings, the combination with an inclined raceway for fastenings, of a separator for separating and delivering fastenings from the lower end of said raceway, said separator having a shoulder for engaging the endmost fastening in the raceway to hold the row of fastenings initially against movement down the raceway and having adjacent to said shoulder a slot extending in substantially perpendicular relation to the raceway widthwise of the latter to receive the endmost fastening in response to movement of the separator widthwise of the raceway, the separator having also a finger spaced lengthwise of the raceway from said shoulder a distance equal to the width of said slot and arranged to be moved into position between the endmost fastening and the next fastening by the movement of the separator widthwise of the raceway, and means for imparting to the separator operative movement widthwise of the raceway with a comparatively small component of movement initially lengthwise of the raceway and a greater component of such movement thereafter in the separation and delivery f each fastening.

4. In mechanism for supplying fastenings, the combination with an inclined raceway for fastenings, of a separator for separating and delivering fastenings from the lower end of said raceway, said separator having a shoulder for engaging the endmost fastening in the raceway to hold the row of fastenings initially against movement down the raceway and having adjacent to said shoulder a slot extending in. substantially perpendicular relation to the raceway widthwise of the latter to receive the endmost fastening in response to movement of the separator widthwise of the raceway, the separator having also a finger spaced lengthwise of the raceway from said shoulder a distance equal to the width of said slot and arranged to be moved into position between the endmost fastening and the next fastening by themovement of the separator widthwise of the raceway, and means for imparting to the separator operative movement in a curved path widthwise and lengthwise of the raceway fol lowed by movement in a straight path widthwise of the raceway in the separation and delivery of each fastening.

5. In mechanism for supplying fastenings, the combination with an inclined raceway for fastenings, of a separator for separating and delivering fastenings from the lower end of said raceway, said separator having a shoulder for engaging the endmost fastening in the raceway to hold the row of fastenings initially against movement down the raceway and having adjacent to said shoulder a slot extending in substantially perpendicular relation to the raceway widthwise of the latter to receive the endmost fastening in response to movement of the separator widthwise of the raceway, the separator having also a finger spaced lengthwise of the raceway from said shoulder a distance equal to the width of said slot and arranged to be moved into position between the endmost fastening and the next fastening by the movement of the separator widthwise of the raceway, means for imparting to the separator operative movement widthwise of the raceway, parallel links mounted for swinging movements and connected to the separator to cause it to have also a component of movement lengthwise of the raceway in its movement widthwise thereof, and means for limiting the swinging movements of said links, the separator being movable relatively to said links in a straight path to complete the delivery of the fastening after the links have been brought to a stop by said limiting means.

6. In mechanism for supplying fastenings, the combination with an inclined raceway for fastenings, of a separator for separating and delivering fastenings from the lower end of said raceway, said separator having a shoulder for engaging the endmost fastening in the raceway to hold the row of fastenings initially against movement down the raceway and having adjacent to said shoulder a slot extending in substantially perpendicular relation to the raceway widthwise of the latter to receive the endmost fastening in response to movement of the separator widthwise of theraceway, the separator having also a finger spaced lengthwise of the raceway from said shoulder a distance equal to the width of said slot and arranged to be moved into position between the endmost fastening and the next fastening by the movement of the separator widthwise of the raceway, and means for imparting to the separator operative movement widthwise of the raceway with a component of movement also lengthwise of the raceway in the separation and delivery of each fastening, the separator being provided with means for holding the row of fastenings above the endmost fastening against any substantial movement down the raceway notwithstanding its movement lengthwise of the raceway.

'7. In mechanism for supplying fastenings, the combination with an inclined raceway for fastenings, of a separator for separating and delivering fastenings from the lower end of said raceway, said separator having a shoulder for engaging the endmost fastening in the raceway to hold the row of fastenings initially against movement down the raceway and having adjacent to said shoulder a slot extending in sub stantially perpendicular relation to the raceway widthwise of the latter to receive the endmost fasteningin response to movement of the separator widthwise of the raceway, the separator having also a finger spaced lengthwise of the raceway from said shoulder a distance equal to the width of said slot and arranged to be moved into position between the endmost fastening and the next fastening by the movement of the separator widthwise of the raceway, and means for imparting to the separator operative movement widthwise of the raceway with a component of movement also lengthwise of the raceway in the separation and delivery of each fastening, the separator having a curved surface arranged to engage the fastening next to the endmost fastening and thereby to hold the row of fastenings above the endmost fastening against any substantial movement down the raceway notwithstanding the movement of the separator lengthwise of the raceway.

8. In mechanism for supplying fastenings, the combination with an inclined raceway for fastenings, of a separator for separating and delivering fastenings from the lower end of said raceway, means for imparting to the separator operative movement widthwise of the raceway, and parallel links mounted for'swinging movements and connected to the separator to cause it to have also a component of movement lengthwise of the raceway in the separation and delivery of each fastening.

9. In mechanism for supplying fastenings, the combination with an inclined raceway for fastenings, of a separator for separating and delivering fastenings from the lower end of said raceway, and means for imparting to the separator operative movement widthwise of the raceway with a component of movement also lengthwise of the raceway followed by movement widthwise only of the raceway in the separation and delivery of each fastening.

10. In mechanism for supplying fastenings, the combination with an inclined raceway for fastenings, of a separator for separating and delivering fastenings from the lower end of said raceway, and means for imparting to the separator operative movement widthwise of the raceway with a component of movement also lengthwise of the raceway in the separation and delivery of each fastening, the separator being provided with means for engaging the fastening next to the endmost fastening and thereby holding the row of fastenings above the endmost fastening against any substantial movement down the raceway notwithstanding the movement of the separator lengthwise of the raceway.

11. In mechanism for supplying fastenings, the combination with a plurality of inclined raceways for fastenings, of a separator for separating and delivering fastenings from the lower ends of said raceways, said-separator having a plurality of fingers arranged to be moved into positions between the endmost fastenings and the next fastenings in the raceways by movement of the separator widthwise of the raceways, and means for imparting to the separator operative movement widthwise of the raceways with a component of movement also lengthwise of the raceways to withdraw the endmost fastenings from the raceways.

12. In mechanism for supplying fastenings, the Combination with a plurality of inclined raceways for iastenings, of a separator for separating and delivering fastenings from the lower ends of said raceways, said separator having a plurality of fingers arranged to be moved into positions between the endmost fastenings and the next fastenings in the raceways by movement of the separator widthwise of the raceways, means for imparting to the separator operative movement widthwise of the raceways, and parallel links connected respectively to the opposite end portions of the separator and mounted for swinging movements each in a plane substantially parallel to the incline of the raceways to cause the separator to have a component of movement lengthwise of the raceways in the separation and delivery of the fastenings.

13. In mechanism for supply fastenings, the combination with a plurality of inclined raceways for fastenings, of a separator for separating and delivering fastenings from the lower ends of said raceways, said separator having a plurality of fingers arranged to be moved into positions between the endmost fastenings and the next fastenings in the raceways by movement of the separator widthwise of the raceways, and means for imparting to the separator operative movement in a curved path widthwise and lengthwise of the raceways and thereafter movement widthwise only of the raceways in the separation and delivery of the fastenings.

14. In mechanism for supplying fastenings, the combination with a plurality of inclined raceways for fastenings, of a separator for separating and delivering fastenings from the lower ends of said raceways, said separator having a plurality of fingers arranged to be moved into positions between the endmost fastenings and the next fastenings in the raceways by movement of the separator widthwise of the raceways, means for imparting to the separator operative movement widthwise of the raceways, parallel links mounted for swinging movements and connected to the opposite end portions of the separator to cause it to have also a component of movement lengthwise of the raceways, and means for stopping the movements of said links prior to the completion of the movement of the separator, the separator being movable relatively to the links in a straight path widthwise of the raceways after the links have thus been brought to a stop.

15. In mechanism for supplying fastenings, the

combination with a plurality of inclined raceways for fastenings, of a separator for separating and delivering fastenings from the lower ends of said raceways, said separator having a plurality of fingers arranged to be moved into positions between the endmost fastenings and the next fastenings in the raceways by movement of the separator widthwise of the raceways, means for imparting to the separator operative movement widthwise of the raceways, parallel links mounted for swinging movements for controlling the separator to cause it to have also a component of movement lengthwise of the raceways in its movement widthwise thereof, means for stopping the swinging movements of said links prior to completion of the movement of the separator, and yielding connections between the separator and said links to permit the separator to move relatively to the links in a straight path after the links have thus been brought to a sto 16. In mechanism for supplying fastenings, the combination with a plurality of inclined raceways for fastenings, of a separator for separating and delivering fastenings from the lower ends of said raceways, said separator having a plurality of fingers arranged to be moved into positions between the endmost fastenings and the next fastenings in the raceways by movement of the separator widthwise of the raceways, and means for imparting to the separator operative movement in a curved path widthwise and lengthwise of the raceways in the separation and delivery of the fastenings, the separator having thereon surfaces curved widthwise of the raceways for engaging the fastenings next to the endmost fastenings and for thereby holding the rows of fastenings above the endmost fastenings against any substantial movement down the raceways as the separator moves in its curved path.

17. In mechanism for supplying fastenings the combination with a plurality of inclined raceways for fastenings, of a separator for separating and delivering fastenings from the lower ends of said raceways, said separator having a plurality of fingers arranged to be moved into positions between the endmost fastenings and the next fastenings in the raceways by movement of the separator widthwise of the raceways, and means for imparting to the separator operative movement in a curved path widthwise and lengthwise of the raceways followed by movement in a straight path widthwise of the raceways in the separation and delivery of the fastenings, the separator being provided with curved K surfaces for engaging the fastenings next to the endmost fastenings and thereby holding the rows of fastenings above the endmost fastenings against any substantial movement down the raceways as the separator moves in its curved path and being further provided with straight surfaces for thus holding the rows of fastenings as it moves in its straight path.

HAROLD ERNEST ELLIOTT. WILLIAM ARTHUR BARKER. 

